Improvement in trusses



C. H. EGGLESTUN.

y Trusses. Y

N0 135 638 Patented Feb.11,1873.

` ,In I n Ey. f.

'CI/WLM AM. pHoro nwo GRAPHIC ca. Mmosaamss Peocsss) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

cHAnLES H. EGGLESTON, or MARSHALL, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN TRUSSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 135,638, dated February 11, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. EGGLES- TON, of Marshall, in the county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented certain Improvements in Trusses for the Treatment of Hernia or Rupture, of which the following is a specification:

My improvement relates to the construction of the pad and its attachment to the fastening straps or belt. The invention consists in a hollow pad, made in cup-shape or other suitable form, and containing a ball which is attached by means of a joint, allowing rotation and lateral movement or play to a certain extent. The invention also consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the truss, as hereinafter described and claimed.

`In the drawing, Figure l is a perspective view of a truss embodying my improvements, Fig. 2 is a back view of the pad, and Fig. 3 is a transverse central section of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures.

The pad is composed of a shell, a, containing a ball, b. The shell may be made in the form of a cup or hollow hemisphere, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, or oblong, as represented in Fig. 1. The material employed may be wood or hard rubber. The ball b is also made of wood or rubber, and is attached to the shell or cup rigidly, in some cases, by means of a screw passing through the back of the shell and entering the ball, while in other instances, for a purpose to be presently explained, the attachment is such as to permit the free rotation of the ball, and lateral play to some extent. This attachment may be in the form of a ball-and-socket joint, as shown in Fig. 3. In the oblong pads the ball may be attached in the center of the shell, or at one side thereof, as shown in Fig. l, when the nature or location of the rupture seems to require such arrangement.

I have ound by experience that in obstinate cases a simple elastic band is not sui-licient to properly hold the rupture. For such cases I have adopted with success the use of a iiat spring, c, or rather a section of coiled spring. If one leaf is insufcient any number may be combined to obtain the requisite tension. This spring is secured to the back 0f the pad by means of a simple metallic clasp, d, through which the spring is loosely passed. The clasp is held by the same screw which secures the ball b within the shell a. To each end of the spring c a buckle is attached, and to these the ends of the main strap or belt e are fastened. The belt is provided with a buckle for the connection of one end of the strap f, the other end being permanently attached to the back of the pad by means of a slotted plate, g, suspended on the screw which secures the ball b in place.

Theobject in making the pad oblong in certain instances is to reduce its size to corre spond to the rupture, and permit it to bear properly against the inclined edge of the abdominal wall adjoining the groin without in-` terfering with the movement ofthe lower limbs. For cases of rupture in the groin I consider the pad provided with a stationary ball best adapted. The other form, that with the loosely-attached ball, is preferred when the rupture is located in the region of the navel, for the reason that in this locality the surface is rounding and the pad is liable to move slightly from its proper position; but the ball being capable of play, it is not so liable to press against the edges of the rupture (which would tend to its enlargement) as would be the case if the ball were rigidly attached.

The method of applying the truss being the same as that employed in ordinary trusses, and being clearly shown in the drawing, it will need no further description here.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A trusspad, composed of a cup or shell, a, and a ball, b, secured therein by means of a ball-and-socket joint, substantially as herein described.

2. The combination of a cup, a, ball b, clasp d, and plate g,when all said parts are secured together by means of a single screw or shank, substantially as herein described.

3. The combination of the pad a b, spring c, straps e f, and the buckles, clasp d, slotted plate g, and fastening screw or shank for securing the parts together, substantially as `herein specified.

To the above specification of my invention I have signed my name this 9thY day of July, A. D. 1872.

CHARLES H. EGGLESTON.

Witnesses:

OTTo LEE JOHNSON, ANDREW GOODYEAR.. 

